


Guitars and Demons Don't Mix

by aika_max



Category: The Last Vampire Series - R. A. Steffan & Jaelynn Woolf
Genre: F/M, Gen, Guitars, Some Humor, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:14:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29632398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aika_max/pseuds/aika_max
Summary: The demon Nigellus is trying unsuccessfully to learn how to play guitar for his love interest, and his demon-bound butler Edward is giving him a hard time about it. [Set during The Sixth Demon]
Relationships: Nigellus & Edward
Kudos: 4





	Guitars and Demons Don't Mix

**Author's Note:**

> This was a pre-fanfic set in the greater world of The Last Vampire, Vampire Bound, Forsaken Fae, etc. It was inspired by a conversation in the author's Facebook group that showed photos of the model who will be Nigellus for the covers of The Sixth Demon series. At the time of posting, that series hasn't been published yet.
> 
> Contains a reference to Lovers' Victory, Circle of Blood book 6, also by Steffan and Woolf.

If Nigellus were a human--and forbid the thought--but if he were, he’d be channeling the spirit of Pete Townsend. Unfortunately, not the part of Pete’s reputation where he was a skilled guitar player revered the world over. No, he’d be emulating Pete destroying a guitar at the end of the night because Nigellus just couldn’t get it. Despite his best efforts to try, the blasted instrument was eluding him.

“Sir, I made you a calming tea,” his ever-faithful demon bound butler Edward said.

“I am calm,” he replied, running his fingers through his hair and grazing his horns. His very regal demon horns that had been a source of vanity for endless years. But human women supposedly don’t like horns.

“I’m sure you are, sir,” Edward said in that calm tone that could be irritating when Nigellus himself wasn’t calm. Not that he was anything but calm now. Nigellus so calm he was ready to be on the cover of _Peace Demons Weekly_.

“I am trying to learn how to play the guitar,” he said. “You would think a demon of my age and talent would find it easy. I have had multiple human lifetimes to learn things that are much easier.”

“Perhaps it means more to you, sir, because you are learning it to impress the young miss,” Edward said while lightly placing a sandwich plate with biscotti and shortbreads near the teacup.

“No. Impossible,” he said, putting the offending guitar down. Its life was safe for now. “I have neither a want nor a need to impress her.”

Nigellus stroked his horn and then grimaced at his behavior. Nervous tics were not his thing. Being perfectly poised was his thing. Other beings, save a select few, were gauche. That’s what they were. He could be done with the whole lot of them.

“Sir… if I may make a suggestion,” Edward started.

“I think you will tell me your suggestion whether or not I want to hear it.”

“In this case, that is true,” he said with a respectful nod. “Perhaps if making music yourself proves to be… outside your interest, you could dance with the young miss. She may enjoy that just as well. If the dancing turns too vigorous, perhaps she will hold on to your horns for balance.”

Narrowing his eyes at his servant, Nigellus was not amused at Edward’s teasing. It appeared to be perfectly innocent, but it was not that at all.

“Leave now,” Nigellus told him curtly. “You may have the rest of the night off to do what you will.”

“Yes, sir. I was planning on some light reading. Miss Bright recommended a vampire romance series that I have been enjoying. This one has a vampire who falls in love with a dentist.”

Nigellus put his hand over his mouth to disguise his smile. Edward was incorrigible sometimes and didn’t need extra encouragement. Instead, the demon waved his hand and dismissed Edward. 

Once the butler was gone, Nigellus drank his tea and nibbled the biscotti menacingly. His thoughts about the “young miss” and what to do about the attraction to her circled his mind without any clear solutions.

The act of thinking of her, however, seemed to make her physically manifest in his space. The doorbell rang, and since Edward had been dismissed for the rest of the night, Nigellus cautiously answered himself.

“Hello,” he said in surprise at seeing her stand before him. 

“I needed to talk to you.” Her mannerisms as she asked were shy, not confident. He liked a confident woman, but her uncertainty was endearing because he felt plenty of it when it came to her.

“Please come in,” Nigellus replied as the gracious host, bringing her into the room he’d used to practice guitar without the desired results.

“Oh, do you play?” she asked as she sat down and looked longingly at the rather expensive acoustic guitar.

“Unfortunately, no. It seems that guitar is not one of my talents.” 

Nigellus waved his hand to the instrument dismissively, and she took the guitar and played with ease. Of course, she did. The universe was sarcastic like that.

“You know... They say Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads,” she said as she set the guitar aside. “We’re at a crossroads now. So to speak.”

“It certainly wasn’t me,” Nigellus retorted. “But yes, if we speak in metaphors, we are at a certain crossroads.”

The young miss, as Edward called her because compared to Edward every miss looked like a young miss, swiped her tongue across her lips and hesitated. She’d made the effort to find him, though, so this could likely prove interesting.

Nigellus shifted his weight in the chair and invited her to tell him what was on her mind. She did, and it predictably pertained to the latest shitstorm he’d found himself embroiled in. Let a demon do a good deed, and he will be forever punished.

He did find out much later, though, that the young miss did, indeed, like to hold on to his horns during vigorous activities. It amused him as much as it aroused him. And Nigellus never told Edward that he was right because Nigellus didn’t think he could bear the old man’s quiet smugness about the whole thing.


End file.
